Closing out 2023 and beginning 2024

 Here it is, folks.  The culmination of nearly a year’s worth of Rusty’s planning, organizing, and employment of various contractors. (And lots of extra work done by Rusty, too.)

INDOOR PLUMBING!

It’s nothing fancy, but it covers the basics.  I’m happy we had the experience of no running water for two entire years, because it made us much more appreciative of our new upgrade.  Many of our grandparents did not have such a luxury.  There are millions of people in certain parts of the world who still don’t have running water.  This is a spacious room which also houses (not pictured) two 4-foot wide, 6-foot tall, metal storage shelves.  We are grateful for what we have.

And just as important is running water at kitchen sink.

Just turn the knob and water comes out!  If you wish, it can also be hot!

In November we flew to Philadelphia to be with the Caviezel family.  I always enjoy this city; it seems to me it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

A favorite Philly saying

…and on the other side of the sculpture,  another famous saying.

I got to walk over the Ben Franklin Bridge

And enjoy the view of the Delaware River with son-in-law, Sam.

Our visit was too short, but we still got to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra perform Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony in F Major.  Sam was awesome!

We had fun after the concert standing on the Maestro’s podium.

Felicia always finds fun museums to tour, and this trip was no exception.  The Winterthur Museum (a part of the DuPont Family) was hosting a special Christmas featuring the gowns of Ann Lowe.  There’s a great video here if you don’t know about Anne Lowe.

She created many gorgeous gowns for high society women.  Perhaps her most famous was Jackie Kennedy’s wedding gown.

After Philadelphia, Felicia, Ruby and I flew to Kansas City for more adventures with Olivia’s family.

First adventure was watching the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.  Thanks to Olivia for such great seats!

3 Eagles supporters and 6 Chief supporters.

Before the pre-Thanksgiving jobs began, I had a fantastic evening hanging out with my girls.

Olivia

Felicia

Cozy fire, comfy sweats, a little wine, and the dog—-perfect!

Preparations began early Thursday morning.

Chris was in charge of the kitchen, with Ruby as a helper.

Once the Fowler family began to arrive, the kitchen was a very busy place.

What a group, huh?  Thankfully Olivia has a big home that she happily shares with all the family.

Many of us walked to the Plaza to witness the turning on of the Christmas lights.

Such wonderful family time!

Ruby and Felicia

And we had two birthdays to celebrate.

Ruby turned 13.

Chris’s daughter, Abby, turned 15.

Pierce attends Rockhurst High School (all male).  He is the only sophomore to make the varsity team, so of course we had to watch him play on Friday night.  I had not attended a high school football game in over 50 years.  This experience brought back many wonderful memories!!!

*This is a promo photo, not Pierce.

And just to add one more thing to a very busy week, we drove to a tree farm for the Christmas tree.

Abby, Chris, Ruby, Olivia, Pierce, Felicia, Reece, Maddy, Di

The travel experience was horrible, but it was worth it to see both of my daughters and my grandkids.

An inauspicious beginning to December:  2 flat tires and melting of snow and lakes.

This is the local junkyard where one goes to get a tire fixed.

We hosted our second annual Holiday Party for our neighbors.  Two dozen people filled our small cabin with merriment.

I love to use the Christmas napkins my Mom made for me many years ago.  Thankfully, my Mom is still doing well.  She will be 98 in March.

We spent Christmas Day enjoying dinner at the Grand Ely Lodge with friends.

This is your Merry Christmas card from Rusty and me.  (I just didn’t get cards sent this year.  Sorry.)

I did get to spend one afternoon biking on White Iron Lake.  Then the temps warmed and the ice was covered in water.  Too scary for me.

Because of current temps, the ice is thawing and freezing, which results in unusual noises from the lake.  The locals compare it to a pod of orcas singing.  I’d say more like groaning, but it’s very cool to hear.

For New Year’s Eve we will be celebrating with about 350 others at the State Theatre.  

Heavy appetizers, champagne, and wonderful music.  Best of all, it ends at 9:00 p.m.

We received so many Christmas cards with wishes for peace and hope. We wish the same for you in 2024.

We’ve Been MN Residents for 22 Months.

 

We slip our canoes into White Iron Lake from this lovely spot.

As many of you know, our dry cabin (no running water) was purchased in July 2020.  The following year we hired Froe Bros to dig our well and have enjoyed having water available at the hand pump.  It takes 10-12 pumps to bring the water up to the surface and another 80-90 pumps to fill a 3 gallon bucket.

This summer Froe Bros returned and installed an electric pump at the base of our well.

Digging through rock, always.

A trench is dug for water to get from the well to the cabin.

We hired Schulze Excavators to install a septic system.

Cody pushed over many trees and then began digging a trench.

This trench will be about 100 yards long and connect the waste from the cabin to the septic system.

Lots and lots of huge rocks were removed from the trench.

Then a giant hole was dug for the septic tank.

Dump trucks filled with Class 5 (fine rock & dirt) were needed for the project—30 loads!

A raised mound system is needed.

Finished mound with new grass on top.

Now that the septic has been completed, we are working on getting our cabin hooked up to the septic.  Our carpenter, Chad Carlson, is building a utility room (about 7’ x 9’ x 41” tall) under the corner of our cabin.

Eventually this crawl space room will be fully insulated and heated.

Cement floor is completed, so Froe Bros installs a pressure tank.

Room is now fully insulated, water heater and pressure tank and water filter installed.  Some plumbing work has been done, but not everything is fully connected yet.

MEANWHILE…

Rusty relied on a wood rack and tarps for firewood last year.  We decided to have a dedicated woodshed for the upcoming winter.

Builder Mark Olson is watching as the cement truck fills the base for the woodshed.

Mark and Wade begin the framing.

Now we’re chopping wood for winter storage.

Even though our outdoor project seems to consume much of our time (and money), we still find time to have fun.

I rode all 50 miles of the annual Mesabi Trail event.  This trail is my favorite place to ride.

We support Save the Boundary Waters and enjoyed the annual Garden Party.

Glen and Jane Witte, good friends from Lincoln, spent a few days with us.

We attended the one-woman play about Jeannette Rankin.

We rode to Eagles Nest in Toby’s classic (1987) Jeep Wrangler.

Kurt and Barb took us on a pontoon cruise of Eagle’s Nest, drinks and snacks aplenty. Kurt provided a running narrative as we toured the lakes.

Toby and Alison on the cruise with us.

Naturally, we had to go on another Boundary Waters adventure.  This year we went in Fall Lake, up through Newton Lake and camped on Basswood.  Seven miles of paddling and 1.5 miles of portaging (one way).  On the way in we stopped at a sandy beach and collected 33 muscles, which were delicious at supper time.

Our landing spot was easy.

But the campsite was high up a cliff.  Here I’m hefting one of several 40 pound bags up a steep hill.

Luckily we got tents and tarps all put up before the skies opened up and poured torrential rain.

Our resourceful guide, Steve, made sure we had plenty of dry wood for warm fires, and fish to eat.

It was fun to canoe on this reflective water.  Sometimes it felt like we were canoeing in the sky.

I spent a couple hours one day soaking up sun.

After four days of enjoying the wilderness, it was time to pack up and head south.

Carrying packs down the hill was much easier than going up.

It was a great trip!

This is the road into Hubachek Wilderness Resource Center, a 350 acre place where I took a two-day class.

It was an all-women chain saw class.

I learned so much!  Now I can use our chain saw with confidence.

Me in my protective pants.

Our instructors, Cheryl, Tish, and Holly.

I also took a class at the Ely Folk School and learned to make this woven birch bark basket.

We each made a basket, all of them unique.

I just finished painting the inside and outside of our two cabin doors, the outhouse door, and both of Rusty’s shop doors.

Got to get these jobs finished before winter.

We have a game trail that goes down to the lake, which we (and the deer) use year round.  I’ve spent some time digging out rocks and roots that are tripping hazards, then laying down Class 5, and eventually some wood chips.

One of my biggest thrills of the summer was getting to meet Congressman Jamie Raskin.  He is the Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee.  His daughter is married to a MN native and Raskin agreed to speak to our weekly Tuesday Elyite group.

Congressman Rankin signing Unthinkable.

Rusty and I replaced our 2009 mini-van with a 2018 Toyota Tundra.  With 4-wheel drive it should have an easier time getting up our driveway in the winter.

Each of you has an open invitation to come and visit.  I really think fall is the prettiest time of year.  All visits include free lodging at the Grand Ely Lodge and meals in our cabin.